News

In winter, a 10-man expedition led by Grzegorz Kuœpiel went to Papua New Guinea. The cave Imalfol Tem, discovered by Poles in 2001, was deepened to ca. -400 m. The bottom of the end pitch was filled with mud.

Curecea Cave, Romania, photo: Stanisław Kotarba

Kitzsteinhorn 2002

In March, the cave Feitnerschahthöhle was explored. As usual, Andrzej Ciszewski was the expedition leader. The cave was deepened to - 1049 m. Two parallel vertical sections were discovered too. One of them ended at the level of ca. -990 m.

Curecea Cave, Romania, photo: Stanisław Kotarba

Vandalism in Ojców

Stalagmites and flowstones in a cave called Jama Ani were destroyed. Only some of them were stolen; the majority were broken into several pieces and left in the cave. It is worth mentioning that the cave since its discovery in 1988 has belonged to the nicest caves in the Polish Jura and that the cave is situated within the area of Ojców National Park.

Expeditions

Rapa Nui 2001

Poike Cliff, photo: Ewa Wójcik

In the turn of November and December 2001 a 15-man team led by Andrzej Ciszewski visited Easter Island. The expedition was organized under the protectorate of the Explorers Club, the rector of Santiago Univeristy and the Institute of Easter Island. Exploration was carried out for 8 days and concentrated in three areas – the Poike peninsula (eastern part of the island), the Rano Roraku volcano and the Roiho lava field. Several caves with total length of 2300 m were surveyed and their entrances were precisely located using GPS equipment. The most interesting caves are Ana te Pahu, Ana Vai Teka and Ana o Keke. Ana te Pahu cave is the longest in the island. Prehistoric tools made of obsidian, hearths and bones were found in the cave. The
most interesting were cracked human skulls, probable vestiges of cannibalistic activities. The cliffs in Poike and Rano Roraku areas were descended that to check several entrances.

Rano Raraki Volcano, photo: Ewa Wójcik

Mehedinti

The author describes a karst area called Mehedinti that is situated in the Southern Carpathians in Romania. The area is bordered by the Motru river valley from the east and by the Cerna river valley from the west. The Mehedinti upland is the southern part of the area when the Mehedinti mountains are the northern one. Topolnita cave with the length over 25 km is the longest cave in the area. Other caves though smaller are also interesting. They are rich in speleothems and active watercourses.

Cloani Cave, photo: Stanisław Kotarba

Bihor

In February a 13-man team went to Romania. The team included six cave divers since another diving in Tauz resurgence was the main aim of the team. Unfortunately a violent thaw with terrible rain and warm wind forced the cavers to change the plans. They visited several interesting caves and the diving action was postponed.

Entrance to Coiba Mare cave

Bulba Cave, Romania, photo: Stanisław Kotarba

Norway

Three cavers from STJ KW-Kraków went to Norway in the turn of May and June 2001. They visited Okshola-Kristhola and Svathammarhola caves situated in the vicinity of Fauske. Then, they drove to the town of Helland situated on the cost of Tysfjord. From Helland they travelled by a ferry to Musken and boated along the Hellemofjord. They wanted to make a traverse of Ragge Javri Raigi cave. Unfortunately the upper entrance was completely blocked with snow.

Fauske Area with trail to Okshola-Kristhola Cave entrance, photo: Marcel Nawrot

Picos 2001 or short story about small cave

An 8-man team from Wroc³aw traditionally led by Marek Jêdrzejczak went to the Picos de Europa in August 2001. The zone B was the main aim of the expedition. In the first day of activity a small entrance to an unknown cave was found. The cave was labelled B-12. At the level of -60 m a very narrow, inaccessible fissure stopped the explorers. In the end, after 10 days of hammering, the fissure became enough wide to passed through. On the other side of the fissure a 73 m deep pitch and a narrow and high meander were explored. The cave ends in boulder-chokes on the bottom of a huge chamber. The cave is 404 m deep and 850 m long. Apart from B-12 cave several interesting though shallow pitches were discovered.

Camp, photo: Małgorzata Wojtaczka

Sardinia

Cavers from AKG Kraków went to Sardinia. Two caves Grotta de su Guano and Tiscali, both situated in Lanaitto valley were visited. The team went also to Su Palu and Su Spiria caves located in Codula di Luna valley. The author evaluates the former one as the most interesting caves that he has visited ever. The next aim of the Poles was Cratero Vecchio - a 273 m deep pitch. Canyons Badde Pentumas, Codula Fuili, Codula Orbisi and Bacu Esone were passed through. Several climbing areas were visited as well.

Su Palu cave, photo: Maciej Stachura

Two times in Montenegro

This year Akademicki Klub Groto³azów from Kraków made two reconnaissance trips to Montenegro. During the first one the Poles visited the Sinajevina massif. Some small caves were explored. During the second trip the Stožac massif was searched. The deepest cave of these mountains named Jama u Crkvenom Dolu was deepened from -393 to - 463 m.

Bulba Cave, Romania, photo: Stanisław Kotarba

Adit with pitch

The adit located in Janowa Hill near Kletno (the Sudetes) was visited and surveyed. Its length is 120 m and vertical extent 25 m (+2, - 23). The adit was mined for iron ore in the middle ages.
The Kaczawskie mountains - big, middle and small caves The author describes newly explored caves in the Kaczawskie mountains (the Sudetes). Imieninowa cave is the biggest and the most interesting one. The cave is developed in methamorphic shists. Its length reaches 170 m and depth -58 m.

Topolnica Cave, Romania, photo: Stanisław Kotarba

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Last change 2002.05.28